diff --git a/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java b/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java
index 7c9c2c380d..fe380af1d1 100644
--- a/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java
+++ b/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@
 public class JSON {
     private static Gson gson;
     private static boolean isLenientOnJson = false;
+    private static final boolean includeManagedFields =
+            Boolean.getBoolean("kubernetes.client.includeManagedFields");
 
     private static final DateTimeFormatter RFC3339MICRO_FORMATTER =
         new DateTimeFormatterBuilder()
@@ -82,7 +84,10 @@ public static GsonBuilder createGson() {
                 fireBuilder
                         .registerPreProcessor(V1Status.class, new V1StatusPreProcessor())
                         .createGsonBuilder();
-        return builder.setExclusionStrategies(new V1MetadataExclusionStrategy());
+        if (!includeManagedFields) {
+            builder.setExclusionStrategies(new V1MetadataExclusionStrategy());
+        }
+        return builder;
     }
 
     private static String getDiscriminatorValue(JsonElement readElement, String discriminatorField) {
diff --git a/kubernetes/src/test/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSONTest.java b/kubernetes/src/test/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSONTest.java
index d336b31c66..84f958b99d 100644
--- a/kubernetes/src/test/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSONTest.java
+++ b/kubernetes/src/test/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSONTest.java
@@ -108,4 +108,15 @@ void v1ListMetaTypeValidationDisabled() throws IOException {
     JsonReader jsonReader = new JsonReader(new StringReader("{\"foo\":\"bar\"}"));
     new V1ListMeta.CustomTypeAdapterFactory().create(gson, TypeToken.get(V1ListMeta.class)).read(jsonReader);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  void managedFieldsExcludedByDefault() {
+    String jsonWithManagedFields =
+        "{\"managedFields\":[{\"manager\":\"kubectl\",\"operation\":\"Apply\"}],\"name\":\"test\"}";
+    V1ObjectMeta meta = JSON.getGson().fromJson(jsonWithManagedFields, V1ObjectMeta.class);
+    // managedFields is excluded from deserialization; the field retains its default empty value
+    assertThat(meta.getManagedFields()).satisfiesAnyOf(
+        list -> assertThat(list).isNull(),
+        list -> assertThat(list).isEmpty());
+  }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/patches/json.diff b/scripts/patches/json.diff
index 03399c4d8a..ec769cfb76 100644
--- a/scripts/patches/json.diff
+++ b/scripts/patches/json.diff
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-From eeb5069c974d3146495f8a9dc52653f029d3cc2d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From eeb5069c974d3146495f8a9dc52653f029d3cc2d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
 From: Min Jin <minkimzz@amazon.com>
 Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2025 11:59:25 -0800
 Subject: [PATCH] manually apply JSON patch
 
 ---
- .../io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java    | 36 ++++++++++++++++---
- 1 file changed, 32 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
+ .../io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java    | 39 +++++++++++++++++---
+ 1 file changed, 35 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)
 
 diff --git a/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java b/kubernetes/src/main/java/io/kubernetes/client/openapi/JSON.java
 index dda3ec708..fe902b293 100644
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ index dda3ec708..fe902b293 100644
  import java.util.Date;
  import java.util.Locale;
  import java.util.Map;
-@@ -50,9 +56,20 @@ import java.util.TimeZone;
+@@ -50,9 +56,23 @@ import java.util.TimeZone;
  public class JSON {
      private static Gson gson;
      private static boolean isLenientOnJson = false;
++    private static final boolean includeManagedFields =
++            Boolean.getBoolean("kubernetes.client.includeManagedFields");
 +
 +    private static final DateTimeFormatter RFC3339MICRO_FORMATTER =
 +        new DateTimeFormatterBuilder()
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ index dda3ec708..fe902b293 100644
      private static LocalDateTypeAdapter localDateTypeAdapter = new LocalDateTypeAdapter();
      private static ByteArrayAdapter byteArrayAdapter = new ByteArrayAdapter();
  
-@@ -65,8 +82,11 @@ public class JSON {
+@@ -65,8 +85,14 @@ public class JSON {
      public static GsonBuilder createGson() {
          GsonFireBuilder fireBuilder = new GsonFireBuilder()
          ;
@@ -63,11 +65,14 @@ index dda3ec708..fe902b293 100644
 +                fireBuilder
 +                        .registerPreProcessor(V1Status.class, new V1StatusPreProcessor())
 +                        .createGsonBuilder();
-+        return builder.setExclusionStrategies(new V1MetadataExclusionStrategy());
++        if (!includeManagedFields) {
++            builder.setExclusionStrategies(new V1MetadataExclusionStrategy());
++        }
++        return builder;
      }
  
      private static String getDiscriminatorValue(JsonElement readElement, String discriminatorField) {
-@@ -793,11 +813,14 @@ public class JSON {
+@@ -793,11 +819,14 @@ public class JSON {
  
          @Override
          public void write(JsonWriter out, byte[] value) throws IOException {
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ index dda3ec708..fe902b293 100644
          }
  
          @Override
-@@ -853,7 +876,12 @@ public class JSON {
+@@ -853,7 +882,12 @@ public class JSON {
                      if (date.endsWith("+0000")) {
                          date = date.substring(0, date.length()-5) + "Z";
                      }